Vegetable dishes & covers

Friday 24 February Cannes. Another glorious day but strong wind. Maudie slept badly. At 11 we went for walk up towards Observatory, the sea a glorious blue, the sky the same, & the mimosa trees in all their luxuriant bloom. Never can I remember seeing anything so beautiful & fr. this height overlooking mountains snow capped & all the richness of colour of deep green palms, firs, & brilliant yellow of mimosa the deep blue sky & glorious sea. It felt like being in a heavenly dream & after the grey skies of home & cold, the sun’s warmth was delicious. (Page pinned in) Friday 24th Feby. We only reached the Hotel California just in time for luncheon 12.30 & found Mr M. & Muriel had had an uncomfortable shock during their walk finding a poor man in a ditch unconscious fr. starvation. They got him water & food. He had had no food for 24 hrs his poor young wife did not know what to do with him, wandering about in search of work! After lunch Mrs M. Maud & self to call in Motor on the Brownlows & for drive along coast. Most beautiful, & tea at Nègres where Mr Mesel & Muriel found us. Her manners appalling, or rather her want of manners, she has none. Maudie came back with Mr M. & Muriel.

Saturday 25 February Sale of Stables. X. Bottle of St Galmier & bottle Vittel. Glorious day. Darling slept so well. We all 5 went to Mr Game at 11 o’c in Motor along coast past (illeg) St Raphael, Trégus, all most exquisite but v. dangerous winding & narrow roads high up along coast & picniced in a lovely little Bay. Would have been heavenly but for Muriel who again in bad temper which sadly accentuates her want of good manners. We ret’d by inland road along most beautiful hills at great height, the view of the Maritime Alps covered with snow & the blue blue sky & glorious irridiscent sea all beyond my feeble powers of description. (Page pinned in) Saty 25th Feb. We ran dangerously fast round corners, the car seemed weak on left side & squeaked dangerously. Think v. risky & wonder Mr M. does not ask his chauffeur to drive more slowly round these blind & sharp corners. The wind was tremendous in some of the valleys & we had to hold on with both hands to our hats. We had tea at Hotel on our return & felt better for all the air. After dinner talked to Lady Abney & her daughter & introduced them to Mr & Mrs Messel. Girl much like Muriel, modern girl in manners. Bed ¼ to 10.

Sunday 26 February Another glorious day, & warm, with refreshing breeze. Darling slept badly. Went into her room at 4 o’c, she seemed v. hot. Maud & Mrs M & Muriel to church & had excellent sermon. Mr M, Mr Game & self sat under palms in grounds basked in sunshine & read & talked. Lunched

12.30. Wrote after. At 4 o’c in Hotel Motor to Carlton Hotel to tea with Mr & Mrs Cecil Brownlow. Pleasant talk. Vy crowded room good band. Met Jean Brown, is at Continental. Home cab. So windy & cold at sunset, glorious sunset. Sat after dinner with Games & up to Mrs M’s room after. Bed 10.20. Bacara.

Monday 27 February Heavenly morg, cooler. Maudie slept well, so thankful but she has a rash over her chin & neck & fear chill, but seems bright & better in herself. She & I went by Motor Bus into Flower Market, bought flowers & intended calling on Geilguds but found so late had to return. C’d not get cab, took Motor Bus & tramped up steep hill on foot to Hotel 1.10.PM. Found the M’s already lunching. At 3 for drive with Muriel in Motor to Gougin(?), lovely scenery, & by Antibes, & to tea at Nègres where met Mr & Mrs Messel, Mr Geilgud. Quiet evg, band. Mr Game came down for short time after dinner. Still no letters.

Tuesday 28 February Sir J. Tenniel’s birthday, wrote. Sunshine. Cooler. Maudie & self to Hill in flower garden, back to Hotel morg. She sketched. Met Mrs Fair after lunch, spoke to her, same gentle shy little woman, is here with her son & daughter. At quarter to 3 in Motor with Mr Messel & Muriel & Maud to Antibes & over Mr Wylie’s lovely garden. Drive back, glorious drive, met Mrs Messel & Mr Gielgud at Nègres. Gay scene, Dominus & Confetti Carnival. Glorious sunset of blue mauve & pink, most beautiful. Spoke to a Mrs Grand who knows Millais’s, also Mr Fair.

Wednesday 1 March My darling bad night, was overtired yesterday, looked so white evg. Up v. early & she went with Muriel to Church 8.30. After at 10.30 we all 5 went for a walk & to see Hotel for Miss (illeg) Richards, née Brigstock. Mad woman threw stones at us! At 3 Maud & self for lovely run in Motor with Mr Messel to Grasse, exquisite scenery. Met Muriel & Mrs M. at Nègres, ret’d in Motor. After dinner Maud & self to Sir W. Abney’s rooms & saw his sketches, charming. Very sleepy all of us & to bed 10 o’c.

Thursday 2 March Letter fr. dear Roy yesterday. Glorious morg. Maud & I woke in night & slept v. late. Maud, Muriel & self for lovely walk towards Observatory. After lunch 2.30 Maud, Mr M, Muriel & Miss Stourbridge for long Motor run to Jeanette(?). Home v. late 6 o’c or after. Mrs M & self perilous journey by tram into Cannes standing outside car! Walked along front

Plage & tea at Nègres, I paid 2.50, excellent tea, & returned by tram. Back 5.30, rested, worked & read! After dinner Mrs Fair came & talked to us. They had been to St Raphael. Bed 9.30!!! Letter fr. Fanny Barker asking us to stay few days with them. X.

Friday 3 March Seven months since my Darling Lin was taken. Slept well & lovely bracing morning. The Abneys left early in their car. Darling did not sleep well. Letter fr. dear Roy. Wrote morg. to Fanny Barker who wants us to stay there, & to Roy. At ¼ to 3 with Mr M, Muriel & Maud in Motor to dear little village on summit of Hill with dear old Church. Women washing & strange old world Inn. Auribeau name of village. Passed Mougins on return. Tea at Nègres. Cinematograph after dinner. Bed 10 o’c.

Saturday 4 March Maudie & self went for delightful walk to left of Hotel alone. At 2.30 with Mr, Mrs M. & Muriel, rather a crush, to Grasse. Glorious views & Maud gave a tea at Carlton. Mr & Mrs Game joined us. Not v. interesting people. Met Daisie Markham & her husband who had just arrived fr Marseilles after an awful voyage! 10 hrs late. Sat with Mrs & Miss Fair after dinner. Bed 9.30. Not in bed till 11.30!

Sunday 5 March Clouded. Maud & self to the charming church here close to Hotel, beautifully kept & lovely stained glass windows. Heard touching sermon fr. Prebendary Carlisle on the power of Human sympathy, felt better for it. Little walk after with darling M. alone. Spoke to Mr Denny. Upset tho’ proud of what he said of Darling Lin. Wrote after luncheon Maud & I walked to Carlton where Mr & Mrs M. met us. Muriel had tea with Mrs Storbridge. Mr M. paid. Saw Daisie who lent me “Marie Claire”. Games after dinner as usual & Fairs.

Monday 6 March Bill £500.70 frs, with Kirton. Lovely day. Maud & self to Cannes by ourselves. Walked there. To Clarks about money for bill which I pd for Maud. We took cab back 3 frcs after lunch talked to Mr Denny & his wife. At 2.30 Maud, Miss Storbridge, Muriel & Mrs M. in Motor for long run in Motor to (blank) by Grasse. Saw monoplane, looked like dragonfly, came fr. Nice & flew past & back again most gracefully. Mrs M. & self by tram to Mr & Mrs Geilgud’s, Alsace & Lorraine Hotel. Walked to Nègres with them where Mrs M. & I had tea, Mr & Mrs Game there, & sat with them after dinner.